Aftermath
by NElaineR
Summary: This takes place during and after the episode "Honey." Chapter 4 is an "M." Just sayin'.
1. Chapter 1

He brushed past his employees, only pausing briefly near his partner to hand her Matheson's gun. Although he could feel her concerned eyes upon him, he couldn't meet them. Couldn't let her see how shaken he was. Lightman prided himself on being in control. He was always able to keep the upper hand in any situation. Except this one.

Used the stairs instead of the elevator. Had to get out fast.

***

Several drinks and a couple hours later, he found himself staring into the eyes of a young woman who was offering to take him upstairs and do unspeakable things with him. Cal knew he had a reputation as a bit of a cad and unfortunately it had been justly earned. She was quite lovely and at one time there would have been no hesitation. The alcohol he had ingested would normally have lowered his inhibitions even more so. However, things had changed. His close call today had rattled him to the core. The image of Gillian begging and crying for him was burned forever in the back of his eyes. She had been _terrified _for him. But there had been something else there too.

Making his decision, Cal placed a gentle hand on the woman's arm. "I shouldn't be 'ere."

He watched disappointment cross her features and then annoyance. Not a lady used to being rejected.

"Sorry." His voice was quiet. He left some cash on the bar and headed out into the cool evening to hail a cab.

Emily was with her mum and he didn't want to be alone. Could only think of one person he'd want to be with. Now he stood outside her front door, babbling. Felt flustered.

He was finally able to spit it out, annoyed with himself. "Do you mind if I sleep in your spare room tonight?" Glanced up into her face, almost pleading. Moved his eyes away. Felt weak. Hated it.

She looked at him with a smile. Her blue eyes were gentle. "Of course." Gillian moved to the side to let him into her home.

"Hey." In the entry, Gillian stopped him with a hug. He immediately wrapped his arms around her, almost as if drowning.

They rocked together, both drawing comfort from the contact, both trembling slightly. Cal pulled away abruptly, planted a kiss at the corner of her mouth. She could smell the alcohol on his breath but he seemed lucid regardless. Residual adrenaline probably still burning it all off.

He strided into her living room and dropped himself on the couch. Everything smelled like _her_ and he immediately began to relax. Gillian was his anecdote. Had been for years but he rarely admitted it to himself.

"Do you want something to drink?" She asked, already knowing the answer. It wasn't like he was driving anywhere tonight.

Cal nodded, watching her movements as she grabbed a bottle and two glasses from the kitchen. She poured them each some brandy and placed the bottle within reach on the coffee table before folding herself on the other side of the couch, legs tucked under her. She was purposely giving him space. He wasn't quite sure if that was for his sake or for hers.

They didn't say a word. She gazed at him, wincing as she noted the dark bruising surrounding the cut on his forehead where Matheson had pistol-whipped him. Cal seemed oblivious and just stared down into his glass seemingly seeking answers in the amber liquid. He quickly drained the glass and helped himself to a refill. Warmth immediately flooded through him.

He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry you had to go through that today."

Gillian gaped at him. _Was he kidding?_

He slouched down more and met her eyes. His were started to become a little bleary. "I mean…I hate to see you cry." Cal wanted desperately to _really_ talk to her, share his feelings, let her know that he loved her and not just platonically. He had almost been a dead man today. Matheson had been a hair away from pulling that trigger more than once.

Gillian felt her eyes fill again. "Sorry." She impatiently brushed away her tears.

He seemed bemused. "Bloody 'ell Foster. After I tell you I hate to see you cry, you go and start to cry on me again." A smile crossed his features.

She smiled through her tears. "Sorry. I just - " Gillian shook her head, sobering. She caught Cal's eye and looked away quickly. "I thought I might lose you." Her voice was barely a whisper.

There it was again. That little flicker of something in her eyes that he saw before. Maybe, just maybe, she felt more for him than he dared to hope. Cal felt lightheaded and wasn't sure if it was inebriation or realization. Maybe both.

He scooted nearer and looped an arm around her shoulders. Gillian immediately dropped her head against his chest. The steady beating of his heart reassured her and she let out a little sigh. "I was so scared. I really thought he was going to shoot you."

Cal brushed her brow with his lips. "Me too luv."

She turned her head and looked up at him, her breath catching as she met his eyes and read his expression. Any semblance of a mask was gone. All she saw was total adoration. Gillian felt tears start to form once again. Was she really seeing this? Of course, he _was_ a bit drunk.

In answer to her unspoken query, he gently pressed his lips against her forehead, before planting similar kisses upon her eyes (a bit salty, he noted), her nose and her cheeks. At that point he stopped and waited. He gazed deep into her eyes, willing himself to stay an open book, but only for her.

Gillian pulled back and regarded him carefully. She reached out tentatively and touched his face, his stubble igniting little flames in her fingertips, which she tried to ignore (God, it was hard!). One soft hand stayed upon his cheek as she studied him.

"Cal. I love you."

There it was. He felt his heart flop over in his chest. Her eyes and her face told him everything. She only spoke the truth.

"Always loved you Gill." He raised an eyebrow and gave her a sideways grin.

Without further hesitation she leaned into him and gave him a kiss so tender it made him ache. He returned it gently, holding her face between his palms, fingers in her hair. Her arms slowly snaked around his neck and pulled him closer.

The sweet kisses of new discovery soon gave way to a long burning heat. They pressed together, mouths slightly open, tongues probing and dancing. Cal pulled away from her lips to explore her ear and worked his way down her neck, gently nibbling and sucking. He paused to pay serious respects to the little hollows of her collarbone.

Gillian felt herself flush, warmth spreading through her, heart racing. Her fingers ran through his short locks.

A moment later he was smiling into her face again. His hazel eyes bore into hers. "I _am_ quite drunk you know and I wouldn't want you to take advantage of me in my currently compromised condition." His eyebrows rose, eyes glinting with mischief.

"Cal!"

"Unless of course you want to. S'okay with me."

She smiled, grabbed his shirt and pulled him toward her once again.


	2. Chapter 2

_**In light of all the darker toned (albeit wonderful) stories out there, I decided to step back in time and revisit one of my little one-shots. I figured maybe some of you might enjoy a tiny bit romantic fluff. BTW, there are some mature innuendos in this chapter but nothing blatant. At least for the moment.**_

* * *

She pulled him hard against her, loving the feel of his lean muscles under her hands. The smell of alcohol rose between them but underneath she could detect the subtle scent of cologne and skin. His lips were once again pressing into the crook of her neck and a shudder ran through her as he gently pushed her down into the couch cushions. This was _way_ too soon. Gillian knew this and suspected Cal did too but the temptation was overwhelming. She was so in love with him, only cemented by the anxiety and tension from earlier. To have him as close as two people could possibly be would chase every doubt, every fear away from every crevice of her mind.

The feel of his stubble sent another shudder and rush of gooseflesh across every square inch of her body. _Dear God. _Does he have any idea how he affects me? Duh, of course he does.

Her arms wrapped around him even more firmly, hands flat against his back, enjoying the knotting and relaxing of his muscles under her palms as he worked.

_Was this really happening?_ More importantly, _should_ this really be happening? Gillian closed her eyes as his teeth lightly scraped her ear. After years of downplaying the force of nature between them, after years of doing a careful soft shoe around the line, they were moving together as if meant to. Well, maybe they were. She wasn't a believer in fate but at the same time she didn't recall wanting a man this much. It was as if all barriers had evaporated the moment she realized Cal may not survive the day. Time was much too precious to continue the stupid game they'd been playing.

His lips found hers and the heat of his mouth had her skin flushed with arousal. Despite his inebriated state, she could feel his excitement. Not even an evening of heavy drinking could keep a good man down.

Allowing the deepened kiss, she was amazed at how gentle but passionate he could be. Her breathing accelerated as all her blood moved to her most sensitive areas in preparation.

Cal stopped his ministrations, seemingly content to hold her to him and she sighed in contentment. His solid body over hers made everything alright. His even breaths seemed to match hers perfectly.

And that's when she heard it. It was soft at first but as she listened it grew in intensity.

_Are you kidding me?_

_ Nope._

Annoyance clashed with amusement and amusement won. Gillian smiled. It was a tiny one at first before broadening and she had to actively bite back a giggle.

Cal's snores droned on even as Gillian tried to figure out a way to maneuver out from under him without waking him.

_So much for making love for the first time._

A giggle slipped past her barriers but he snored on, completely oblivious.

With eel-like movements, Gillian wriggled out from under him, stopping every few moments when his snores would catch before proceeding. Normally he was a light sleeper but all that scotch had completely zonked him. She expected he was in for one hell of an un-good morning. With several more slippery moves, she managed to escape and land on the floor with an unceremonious thump. His snores stopped again and she held her breath. They started once more, gaining momentum for a moment as she winced, before turning soft. She pushed to her feet before sitting on the coffee table and gazing at him.

He was now cuddling with the Hello Kitty throw pillow her niece gave her for her birthday. It was so cute she thought about taking a picture. _He'd kill her_. Probably. Maybe. Eh, screw it. Gillian pulled her phone from her purse and took a picture. Paused and then took another one. Blackmail material was never a bad thing. Best not to pass up an opportunity.

After watching him for several moments, she rose with a yawn and pulled the throw off the back of the couch before tucking it in around him. Without hesitation, she leaned over and kissed his brow. "Night Cal." Her fingers traversed his cheek and one thumb touched his bottom lip. "You have no idea how much I love you. You mean everything."

Gillian swiveled to make the rounds and turn out all the lights. She missed the tiny upward curl of his mouth.

* * *

His first thought was of one very beautiful woman admitting her devotion while she thought him asleep. And he had been, mostly, but that voice cut through the slumber and branded itself upon his brain. The second thought was, 'I think I'm having a brain aneurysm!' He honestly didn't remember ever having such a bad headache. Of course, to be fair, he probably thought that every single time. No wonder so many people said he was his own worst enemy.

Shifting, he tried to ignore the knife blade sticking out from between his eyes. He delicately checked with his fingers to make sure there really wasn't something sticking out of his skull. Nope. Knife, ice pick, bullet-free. Good to know it was just a hangover and not something fate cooked up to pull him away from Gillian the moment they'd taken their first step. Well, it hadn't been as much of a first step as he would have liked but just being able to hold her and kiss her, before passing out on her, meant so much.

Cal let out a long rambling groan.

_He'd passed out on her_. Literally, if memory served.

He groaned again.

Well, if nothing else, he woke up briefly for a really good part. That thing about her loving him couldn't be topped. Well, maybe…if it had occurred right before…or in the middle or even after…or all of the above would've been even better.

His head shrieked at him again. _You're such a plonker._

Cal opened his eyes slowly, his world blurry but half of it pink. He let them settle shut again before trying once more. Yeah, pink. Pink and fuzzy.

With the determination of ripping off a band aid, he pushed into a sitting position and stared down at the pink fuzzy thing his head had previously been resting against. Kitty White winked at him suggestively from her soft and fluffy glory. _Ugh._ Somehow he suspected this might come back to haunt him.

"Good morning."

The headache and Kitty White took a pinpoint distant second to Gillian's smile directed down at him. He grinned back even as it threatened to split his face in half. "Mornin' luv."

"How do you feel?"

_Like I got run over by some kid in a Civic with an unbalanced subwoofer blaring gangster rap , before being pushed off a very high rocky cliff._ "Okay."

"Liar."

"Fair 'nuff. Been better." He delicately traced his forehead with his fingers. That's right. No knife or ice pick.

"They say a hot bath is really good for sweating out the toxins."

His brows almost flew up and over his head. "Aye, aye."

"Of course a Hot Toddy might work too."

"Oh."

She smiled again, enjoying teasing him, feeling slightly guilty but not enough to stop. Before she could continue, Cal moved quickly and pulled her down into his lap. Both gasped, her in surprise, him in discomfort as she almost squashed his morning wood. "Cal!"

Ignoring the throb below the waist and the explosion of pain in his temples, he directed his mouth toward hers and they instantly melded together. He felt her soft hands holding his face as the kiss became much more insistent.

Several wet moments later, they broke away. Breathing heavily, they stared into one another's eyes, openly reading and assessing. Love. Without a doubt. But there was also something else. Something deep and primal.

"You'd about kill for an aspirin wouldn't you?"

"That I would luv."

But he didn't let go and neither did she. She continued to cradle his face but her breath stopped for just a moment as one of his hands dipped low on her hip, stopping just short of moving around the back to cop a feel. The pads of his fingers felt as if they were burning through the thin fabric of her robe.

"Um…"

"Sorry." He released her as she got to her feet unsteadily. She forgot what she was going to do and just looked down at him.

This was so damned bizarre. He'd aggravated, annoyed, bewildered and made her absolutely crazy over the years but she'd never ever been uncomfortable around him until now. And it wasn't even discomfort in the true meaning of the word. It was a shifting of expectation, a transition of new associations with long submerged emotions. And neither one knew exactly what to do with themselves now.

"Weird, yeah?"

"Mmhm."

"Maybe we should just get the sex outta the way."

Gillian gave him her narrow-eyed sideways look.

"Then again, maybe not." He raised his hands, spreading his fingers in surrender. "Just a suggestion."

"Mmhm." She turned and headed toward the little kitchen as his eyes dropped and watched the movement of her hips and thighs under the robe.

"Cal, stop looking at my ass!" She wondered if he could hear the smile in her voice.

He blinked. Gillian hadn't even turned to catch him. Clearing his throat, Cal moved his eyes away and off to the side. Kitty White stared at him again. He stared back before reaching and turning the pillow around. _Better._

Cal listened as she moved around the kitchen. He heard the clank of mugs, the running of water, the banging of cabinets and the whistle of the tea kettle. It just seemed so _normal. _And he liked it. A lot.

Without thought, he followed her in and began to rummage through her refrigerator, pulling out eggs, cheese and veggies before proceeding to fix them some omelets.

"Your stomach going to be okay with that?" She glanced over at him as she mixed the honey and lemon into the boiling water.

"Um, well, head's more the nasty customer. Figure protein can't be a bad thing."

He was a good cook when he wanted to be so Gillian left him to it. She was enjoying his presence. It just seemed so natural.

They sat down at the breakfast bar drinking their Hot Toddies and chewing on perfectly cooked, fluffy eggs. And they couldn't seem to break eye contact as hard as they tried. One might glance away but like magnets, found their way back.

"We said some stuff last night, yeah?" Cal couldn't stand it any longer. He had to say something, _anything_ or he just might explode and leave his English bits floating all over her little house.

She finished her last forkful of eggs and wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin. "Yes, we did."

He waited and so did she.

"Not easy is it?" He tilted his head and watched as Gillian bit her lip. Her eyes seemed bluer than usual. Maybe it was because of the blue robe. The robe that clung to her figure accentuating her perfect…he shook his head to clear it and immediately regretted the action. "Ouch."

Her frown was one of concern. "Bad, huh?"

"Yeah, but I'll live." Hesitating for just a moment, he reached out and took her hand in his. "This is just too bloody weird, so how about this? I'm gonna head home, pass out again for a while, take that hot bath…" he grinned at her. "…and come back tonight to pick you up for dinner. Do this right and all. What do you think?"

Gillian's smile was pleased but not without relief. "I think, Cal, that that is an excellent idea."

Once again, their eyes caught and held but somehow it seemed a little less uncomfortable as if one little decision had eased the way for whatever came next. Cal supposed it had but he had to ask one more thing. He just had to know before he left. "Gill?"

"Hmmm?"

"You didn't take a picture of me curling up to that bloody pillow of yours did you?"

"I sure did." She smiled brightly as he sighed. "Need something to keep you in line."

"You better watch your back then. Turnabout is fair play."

"I'll consider myself warned." She squeezed his hand. "I love games after all."

He tilted his head as his eyes burned into hers with passion and humor. "How about naked Twister? Ever play that?"

"Cal!"


	3. Chapter 3

**_Okay, here's a little more froth for your mid-week..._**

* * *

Gillian stood before her closet, the bath wrap securely around her.

She'd been soaking in the tub for the past half hour, allowing the moisture beads of her favorite bubble bath to caress and soften her skin. It had been relaxing to the point of nap inducing so she'd gone out of her way to keep her thoughts active. And as much as she attempted to redirect them, they stubbornly kept going back to one thing: Cal.

This felt so bizarre. All these years of flirting and sexual tension and it took one terrifying ordeal at the Lightman Group to give them the push, or actually, the shove they needed. It's not like he hadn't put himself in danger before but to this point those incidents had been nebulous. Most often she found out about them after the fact and although they'd angered her, distance had taken away most of the bite of fear. This was the first (and please let it be the only) time where she'd witnessed his mortality with her own eyes. It had been _so_ close. Although he'd kept his expression neutral, his eyes had told her an entirely different story.

She felt a shudder run through her. No. She wasn't going to think about that any longer. He was safe. They all were.

Her eyes and thoughts fell back to the task at hand. There were several possibilities. Blue for her eyes, form-fitting deep pink, traditional little black dress (of course she had several of those with varying degrees of skin exposure), light rose to match her nails…

Normally ADD wasn't something that had ever been a problem for her. That was more Cal's department but once again, her brain pulled her away and she found herself thinking about soft drunken kisses, followed by sober kisses delivered with much more finesse. And then she thought about naked Twister and snorted in laughter. Well, _that_ was attractive. At least he wasn't here to run with it though. Not yet.

Of course he would be very soon and here she was still standing in a towel.

Making an executive decision, she stepped forward and grabbed a hanger.

* * *

Cal left the shower in a rush of steam and quickly took advantage to closely shave his moisture softened whiskers. He knew she was used to seeing him with, at best, a five o'clock shadow, at worst, just this side of Grizzly Adams so he thought it might be a pleasant surprise for her to see him cleanly shorn.

This whole situation had turned odd very quickly but in a good way. He just needed to get past the "I shouldn't be picturing her naked" phase. Who was he kidding? He'd _always_ tried to picture her naked but now it seemed like it might be a little more acceptable. At least that was the hope.

He regarded himself in the mirror for a few more moments, noting the swelling going down above his left eye where Matheson had hit him. At least it shouldn't leave a scar. He had enough of those. If he stared at his reflection too much longer he might be inclined to a case of self-consciousness. That was never the norm for him and that's what felt weird. Now that he and Gillian were moving forward, he was much more conscious of all the marks on his torso. He knew she wouldn't care but each scar was a story and he didn't think he was ready to share every single one.

Of course if he played his cards right, there'd be plenty of time.

Wrapping the towel around his waist, he left the bathroom, shivering slightly at the sudden temperature change. Taking pains to choose less wrinkled clothing, he dressed quickly, feeling a slight nervousness. He shouldn't be nervous but somehow he was. This was the culmination of everything he'd ever wanted and he just didn't want to mess it up. Right there was why he was nervous. He knew, under pressure, he could revert to instant douchebag. He definitely didn't want that and Emily wasn't here to remind him of that fact. He was on his own.

Cal's mind drifted to that morning and the previous night. He thought about how good she smelled and how wonderful she'd felt under his hands. And he really wanted to feel more of her.

Yeah, with a little self-control, he might be able to curb his unconscious drive to be an idiot.

And then his mind shifted again. This time to _Hello Kitty_. He let out a little groan that trailed off with a smile. She had him. And she didn't need the blackmail material either.

* * *

When Gillian opened the door to let Cal in she had three thoughts in rapid succession: God, he looks hot. God, he smells incredible. And: I wonder how long it'll be before I just jump him.

She flushed in embarrassment at the last one and saw him raise his brows in question. His eyes had darkened but they shone with good humor. Maybe he'd actually let the observation slide.

"Now what kind of thought could have brought on a blush like that?"

_Of course not. Who was she kidding_? "The kind that's none of your business."

"Aye, aye." He stepped into her space and she held her hands up to keep him from coming too close. It was an automatic gesture that she immediately regretted. Instead of pushing him away however, her fingers caressed his chest, nails scraping against the fabric of his button down shirt.

She heard the rhythm of his breathing hitch slightly and couldn't hold back the smile. She skipped a breath herself when she felt his hands moving around her waist and gently pulling her toward him. His voice was soon in her ear and she inhaled the scent of him, feeling a little fuzzy. "Sure you want to eat right now luv?"

_No. Yes. Oh crap, she wasn't even sure. _He pressed his lips against the bone just below her ear and the warmth was immediate and rabid.

_Holy smokes_. His cheeks were smooth and soft as he tentatively explored her throat, obviously waiting for her to call a halt to it.

Gillian wasn't sure if she wanted him to stop though.

_Oh, hell_. She'd just spent how long dressing for the occasion? And now the idea of her little black dress so quickly pooled on the floor of her living room after all her careful attention made the decision for her. The sudden growl in her belly cemented it.

"Guess I'll take that as a yes than." Cal's tone held a hint of humor. Apparently the stomach grumble was louder than she'd thought.

"Sorry. I haven't had anything since this morning." Her face was warm in another blush but she tilted her head up and met his eyes. They were still dark but his face was loving.

"Well, let's get the lady fed then." He stepped past to grab her coat and held it up for her to thread her arms through.

"Thank you." She blushed again, feeling silly but not minding.

He swept his arm forward so she could step out the door before him and waited while she locked up.

A moment later she could feel his warmth behind her as he followed her down the path toward his car. Another case of nerves swept through her but she managed to keep her breathing even. Spicy aftershave invaded no matter what.

He unlocked and opened the car door, hesitating as he purposely blocked her view. "Hold on a second, darlin'. Need to move some things to the back." There was the rustle of plastic as he grabbed a large bag from the passenger's seat. He flashed a quick sideways grin before moving past her to place it in the back. This time he made no move to hide what he held.

The plastic was opaque but she was still able to make out what the bag contained. This time her blush was scarlet. _Twister and Pictionary_.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Well, maybe it's overflow from the other thing I'm working on but for better or for worse, here's some silly naughtiness for you. Can safely say we can put this chapter at an "M." You have been warned.**_

* * *

She switched on the living room lights, turned to find Cal studying her intently. His hands were shoved deeply in his pockets, his head tilted while his eyes remained fixed on her.

Heat flushed her cheeks. "You know you're making me nervous."

"Sorry."

"No, you're not."

His lips pulled into a smirk. "Okay, I'm not."

He didn't move toward her. Despite the darkness of his eyes and the tension rippling through his body, she knew he was leaving everything up to her. No pressure. No pushing. Just a bottomless longing.

Gillian gazed back as him, seeing him as he was. Obstinate, incorrigible, rough around the edges, loyal to a fault and amazingly loving beneath the crusty exterior. Her best friend. She tried to imagine her life without him and all she saw was a yawning black hole. Suppressing a shudder, she stepped closer, reached out and rested her palm against his smooth cheek. He closed his eyes for a moment and she heard a quiet sigh.

Another half step brought her within distance where she could feel the heat radiating from his body and the masculine scent of his aftershave.

"Gettin' dangerous Gill." His voice was low and raspy.

"You left your games in the car."

"Won't matter." Cal's eyes dipped to her lips before refocusing on her eyes. She felt his fingers clasp around her wrist in a firm but gentle hold as he pulled her those last few inches until her body brushed against his. His breath was warm on her face as he continued to study her, no doubt seeing her redden as blood rushed to the surface of her skin.

"Alright luv?" His eyes continued to probe, desire burning but for all his flirting and allusions it was obvious he wanted her to be completely sure.

She was dying to kiss him again and allow herself to be caught up in his feel and taste but knew it wouldn't stop at kissing this time. An image of her little black dress crumpled in the corner of the living room flared in her mind again. Or maybe it would be under the sofa cushions. Her body quivered as another wave of heat washed over her and perspiration tickled her hairline.

"All hot and bothered and I haven't even touched you yet." He teased, accent silken as his sideways grin returned.

"You're quite sure of yourself."

"Always darlin'."

Gillian grabbed both sides of his face and quickly guided him into a kiss, smiling as he startled and gasping as he took control. Tenderness skipped to passion as she felt his arms wrap around her, one hand cradling the back of her head and the other gliding around her waist to the small of her back to press her snugly against him. The arousal she now felt through his clothing sent her temperature into fever territory.

His mouth dominated, tongue exploring and brushing against hers in a frenzy. Pulling away from her lips he trailed heated kisses down the graceful curve of her throat to her chest before arriving at her cleavage. The dress she'd chosen was classy with just enough of a peek to show feminine confidence and although he appreciated it (he honestly did), he now wanted it _gone_. _Like yesterday_. Cal ran his hands down her back, looking for buttons, hooks and eyes or anything he could make short work of without removing his mouth from her flesh.

Nothing.

A frustrated growl met her amused giggle as she stepped back from him and pulled the dress over her head easily, leaving a short black slip behind. More of her creamy skin met his hungry eyes as they came together again, satin and warm flesh under his wandering hands.

"Gorgeous." Pushing down the spaghetti strap he kissed her shoulder, tasting sweet and salty skin, his hand now moving down to brush the side of her breast.

He became conscious of her busy fingers unbuttoning his shirt, pulling the tails out of his pants. Stopping his worship of her body, he let her push the shirt over his shoulders before it dropped to the floor behind him. He shivered as she scraped his chest with her nails before running them down his ribs and resting at his waist. Her mouth was against his once more, this time as the aggressor as she propelled him backward.

The backs of Cal's knees hit the sofa and he sat abruptly bringing Gillian with him, lips remaining sealed together. Her thighs were on either side of his hips as she straddled him, pushing down teasingly just to hear the low moan vibrate through him.

"Darlin', you're killin' me." He'd resumed his exploration down her neck, sucking at the melding of her shoulder and throat. It was going to leave a mark and some hazy distant part of him hoped she wouldn't punch him later.

"Not my intent." He could hear her breathing accelerate even more and she reached down and worked at his fly even as he was practically bursting out unaided.

"Christ." It was a low whisper of an oath as her gentle fingers curled around him. "Not goin' to make it to the bedroom luv?"

Gillian smiled down at him, her beauty overcoming him and making his breath stick in his throat. "We have plenty of time, don't you think?" She leaned over to speak against his ear, giving it a nip as her hand firmly slid down his length. Moaning again, he managed to keep from bucking up against her.

Pushing away from the back of the sofa, he gently pulled her hand from him before flipping her around and pressing her into the cushions. He stayed on his knees as he leaned forward to delve under her slip with his fingers, lightly rubbing against the juncture of her legs, delighted to find her wet with anticipation. Slowly he hooked his thumbs at the waistband of her panties and slid them down her long legs, keeping his eyes on her face, watching the flush, eclipsed irises and the biting of her lower lip. She was so lovely he stopped to soak her in.

Years of sexual tension and repressed love had been brought to the surface by one lunatic with a gun. _Would this even be happening if it weren't for that nutter?_ Yeah, it would have. Maybe not this second but it would have happened. At least he thought so, if he managed to keep his head out of his arse for any given period of time.

"Are you okay?" Her voice was so loving he felt tears sting his eyes.

"Yeah luv." He opted for a rare bit of honesty. "Just a little overwhelmed."

"Me too." She held her arms out to him.

Cal crawled up into her embrace, kissing her gently as she cradled him with her body.

"I love you Gill."

She pulled him down, kissing him and murmured, "I love you too. Never doubt that."

Poised at her entrance, he gave a quick thrust even as she rose to meet him and they shuddered together at the intensity of the sensation. Deep comforting warmth spread between them as emotions locked them together. Bracing himself on his arms he quickened the pace as her mouth dropped open in ecstasy and her eyes squeezed shut. She wrapped her legs around his upper thighs as he hit her deeply at just the right angle to incite the blaze within. They were molded perfectly for one another and as Gillian recognized the telling clenching of her body, Cal pushed even faster, even harder before faltering as her orgasm tightened her channel around him. Biting the inside of his cheek he managed several more thrusts before succumbing to his own climax with a soft cry in the back of his throat and dropping on top of her. She hugged him tightly to her, pressing a kiss to his sweaty brow as they both caught their breath.

"Lemme move…" He gasped, not wanting to crush her.

"You're okay." Gillian kissed him again. "Soft cushions."

He smiled but wriggled to the side and pulled her against him. "Better. Although…" He stared down their bodies. "I'm kinda tangled in my pants."

"I'm sure we can remedy that." She sighed and snuggled into his neck.

"Yeah?"

"_Oh yeah_."

* * *

I know you have to have them!"

Gillian watched with a mingle of amusement and embarrassment as Cal practically ransacked her kitchen. The slamming of drawers and banging of cabinets echoed throughout the small room.

"Why don't you come clean, luv?" He pivoted and gave her his charming sideways grin, which combined with those still darkened eyes continued to make her knees a little wobbly.

"Ummm…"

He stepped a little closer, smiling into her face. "C'mon, it'll be fun." He waggled his eyebrows playfully but his voice was sultry, teasing and that familiar little shimmer ran through her again. "We can keep it…_clean_."

_Right. _Neither one of them had a stitch on and she kept staring at his taut butt every time he turned away.

"I can tell you _like_ the idea." His tone went even lower and she gulped.

"Pantry. Plastic box on the top shelf." It slid out and his grin widened.

Cal swiveled toward the pantry, pulled down the box in question and began to paw through the contents. It didn't take long. "Aha!"

The flush was immediate as he held up her edible markers in victory.

* * *

"Rock, paper, scissors."

"Seriously Cal?"

"Only fair way to see who gets to go first." His grin was boyish as his eyes sparkled.

"Fine."

"On three."

Fisted hands counted down before morphing into the requisite shapes. Gillian's fingers flew out for scissors, while Cal's remained closed as rock.

"Of course."

"Don't be like that Gill."

She playfully pouted while he moved forward to kiss her lightly before pulling back, focusing on her lips again and returning with a much more passionate kiss that she giggled against. He gave her another peck before smiling into her eyes. "Have to stay still."

"Am I going to regret this?"

"Absolutely not."

"Hmmm…"

Cal ignored the skepticism and urged her back against the sheets. After the third time making love, they'd finally made it to the bedroom.

He pulled the cap off one marker with his teeth and proceeded draw on her torso, attempting to ignore her hushed giggles. "Hey, no moving!"

"It tickles!"

"Just need to keep the big girl panties on for just a little longer…"

"Not wearing panties."

"Details, details." His brow knit in concentration before he pulled back, looking satisfied with himself.

Gillian glanced down at herself. "You're a regular Van Gogh aren't you?"

"Everyone's a critic."

He'd drawn some kind of 50's era car coming right at them. Naturally her breasts were the headlights. She sighed, trying not to smile. Honestly it wasn't bad at all.

Cal crept across her legs and rested his cheek against her belly. "Now for the fun part."

"Nuh uh. Not yet."

"How come?"

"Because I get my turn."

He narrowed his eyes, visions of his tongue lapping up those lines being pushed the back burner. "S'pose."

"Okay. On your back."

His brows rose to his hairline. "Is this going to involve art or…ahem…something even naughtier?"

Her expression was unimpressed but her lips twitched. "Guess you'll find out. Now stay still!"

"Bossy."

Cal did as she demanded and tried not to flinch under her light touch. "What are you doin' down there?" He lifted his head to survey her hands and face very close to his bits and pieces.

"You'll find out." She was biting back laughter and he wasn't sure whether he should be amused or concerned.

"Okay, now you can look." Gillian leaned to the side, smugness oozing.

He squinted at what she'd done. Two ovals – one on either side of the cut of his hips – connected to another circle just above the hairline. Two evil looking eyes were drawn in the middle of the center circle. "What the hell?"

"Are you saying I'm a crappy artist?"

"Uhhh…of course not. It's just, uh, an awkward angle to get the full impact."

"Mmhm."

He stared for another moment, his eyes widening as her hand lightly stroked him. "Is that part of the game?"

"Kind of." She smiled up at him. "Give up?"

The game was starting to become secondary as pure lust sliced through him. "Uh, sure. What is it?" The words were now a little tight.

"It's an elephant with a mustache."

He stared at her, mouth dropping open.

"And look, the trunk's starting to move around a little."

With a growl, Cal pounced on her as her laughter rang through the bedroom, silenced with a sudden but loving kiss and the promise of many more.

* * *

**_Okay, that was a little (or a lot) cheesy and I apologize for any groans I may have elicited. Hopefully it wasn't too, too bad. ;)_**


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